Education and Action for a Sustainable Future

 

Debra Rowe, Ph.D.

PresidentU.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development

www.uspartnership.orgCo-chair

Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortiumwww.heasc.net

AdvisorAssociation for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher

Educationwww.aashe.org

Professor, Sustainable Energies and Behavioral SciencesOakland Community College

www.oaklandcc.edu/EST

Thanks to John Richter and Anthony Cortese for some of these slides

• Part I What is sustainability?

• Part II What are our sustainability challenges?

• Part III Solutions and National Trends

• Part IV Resources for you!

Sustainable Development is often defined as:

“meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of

future generations to meet their own needs”

World Commission on Env. and Development. (1987). Our Common Future. England: Oxford University Press.

 

StrongEconomy

SocialWell-being

Flourishing Environment

SustainableSociety

Triple Bottom Line of Sustainability

The United Nations has declared a

Decade of Education for Sustainable Development

2005-2014

Education for a Sustainable Society:

“enables people to develop the knowledge, values and skills to

participate in decisions …, that will improve the quality of life now without

damaging the planet for the future.”

 

Applied Knowledge/

TechnologicalSkills

Private Choices and Behaviors-Habits

Public Choices and Behaviors-Laws

Sustainable Communities

Sustainable Economies

EcosystemEcosystem

EcosystemEcosystem

Why is environmental responsibility such a high priority?

• Freshwater withdrawal has almost doubled since 1960 and nearly half the world’s major rivers are going dry or are badly polluted (New Internationalist, no. 329)

• 11 of the world’s 15 major fishing areas and 69% of the world’s major fish species are in decline (State of the World, Worldwatch Institute)

• Climate change (global warming) exists, a major culprit is fossil fuels, and impacts are very serious. (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report: Summary for Policymakers: The Science of Climate Change)

4

24

U.S. EmissionsU.S. NOAA slides

NOAA Slides by Forecast Systems Laboratory.

U.S. Contributions to Climate Change

The U.S. has 4.5% of the world’s population and is producing over 23% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. For decades, the U.S. has been the #1 polluter.

Effects -Climate Change

Disruption of food production and the food chain

More extreme weather events

Disruptions of ecosystems and the food chain, including water supplies

Spread of disease e.g. West Nile, Malaria, Dengue

Fever

Submersion of land masses – 1 to 4 foot sea level rise - now up to 80 feet50% of world’s population lives on the coasts

= Civilization DisruptionSource: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Why is Climate Change Important?

It is outside of the normal variability of climate.

We are the first generation capable of determining the habitability of the planet

for humans and other species.

The decisions of this generation are crucial. 

Why climate change and other environmental Issues are so important

1. Human presence on a global scale

2. All living systems in long term decline at unprecedented and accelerating rate

3. Unprecedented growth in population and consumption

4. Climate change

Our decisions will create:

more scarcity and suffering, or a future of greater abundance and higher quality of life

life supporting

resources

declining

consumption of life supporting

resources

rising

Global Perspective

Why is EFS such a high priority in the U.S.?

1. Much of the U.S. public doesn’t know that we are exceeding the carrying capacity of the planet. (www.myfootprint.org)

2. Public doesn’t know we can reduce human suffering, environmental degradation and social injustice now while building stronger economies

3. A rapid shift in mindset is needed and education to action is the key.

Solutions for climate change

• Reduce energy use

• Use renewable energies

• Stop burning fossil fuels – oil, coal and natural gas

• Prepare to adapt

Why should we reduce our consumption of fossil fuels?

It is a national security issue causing the following threats to our well being:• Political Instability• Economic Instability• Environmental Instability

Political Instability = Dependencyon foreign oil

• The U.S. imports 54% of its oil consumption.

• U.S. oil production has declined continuously since 1974.

• Comes from some countries whose policies we don’t like

Source: University of Minnesota

Economic Impacts

"Paid predominantly by the US, the costs of protecting our Middle East oil supplies are as high as $15-25 a barrel - that is about a dollar a gallon.”

Peter Hain, UK Europe Minister

USS Stark, 1987

Economic Instability

•Globally, the largest item in the U.S. trade deficit is our importing of foreign oil

•Nationally, our economy is hampered by energy costs which decrease the bottom line of profits and economic health

•Locally, people on stressed budgets - many have to choose between heating and eating

Environmental Impacts - Disease

“… power plant particle pollution causes more than 603,000 asthma attacks per year..”

Source: Abt Associates: Death, Disease, and Dirty Power Plants

Environmental Impacts - Death

“Abt Associates finds over 30,000 deaths each year are attributable to fine particle pollution from U.S. power plants.”

Source: The Clean the Air Task Force

Global Transition – Paradigm Shift

From• Fossil powered• Take, make, waste• Living off nature’s capital• Market as master• Loss of cultural & biological

diversity• Independence• Materialism as goal

To• Non-polluting powered• Cyclical production• Living off nature’s income• Market as servant• Maintain cultural &

biological diversity• Interdependence• Reduced human

suffering and quality of life goal

Dominant Inaccurate Human BeliefsWhich ones do you have to eliminate?

• Humans dominant species separate from environment• Resources free and inexhaustible• Technology the answer• Earth can assimilate all wastes• All human needs can be met by human means• Individual success independent of health of communities,

cultures and ecosystems

Old Worldview

vs. Updated Worldview of Sustainabilty

Part III

More on Solutions and Trends

Potentials for Energy Conservation and Renewable Energies

Plan B: Mobilizing to Save Civilization

by Lester Brown

Founder of Worldwatch Institute

Downloadable at www.earth-policy.org

Potentials for Energy Conservation

Conserve energy!!

Can address all of our increasing demand for energy.

Lighting alone can handle 12%.

Easy to save 20-40% in building energy use.

Don’t idle. Keep your tires properly inflated.

Potentials for Renewable Energies

For wind energy, Stanford University team Archer and Jacobson:

Harvesting 1/5 of the world’s available wind energy would provide 7 times as much electricity as the world currently uses.

U.S. Department of Energy 1991 study:

North Dakota, Kansas and Texas has enough harnessable wind energy to satisfy national electricity needs. (Given new technologies since then, can handle the U.S. total energy needs.)

Potentials for Renewable Energies

Can we meet all our needs with renewable energies?

YES

Table 12–1. World Energy from Renewables in 2006and Plan B Goals for 2020

Source 2006 Goal for 2020

Wind 74 3,000Rooftop solar electric systems 9 1,090Solar electric power plants 0 100Solar thermal power plants 0 200Geothermal 9 200Biomass 45 200Hydropower 850 1,350Total 987 6,140

Electricity Generating Capacity (electrical gigawatts)

Table 12–1 cont. World Energy from Renewables in 2006and Plan B Goals for 2020

Source 2006 Goal for 2020

Thermal Energy Capacity (thermal gigawatts)

Solar rooftop water and 100 1,100space heatersGeothermal 100 500Biomass 220 350

Total (electrical and thermal gigawatts) 420 1,950

A Few Words on Each Renewable Resource

Electricity Generating Capacity (electrical gigawatts)

• Wind

• Rooftop solar electric systems

• Solar electric power plants

• Solar thermal power plants

• Geothermal

• Hydropower

A Few Words on Each Renewable Resource

Thermal Energy Capacity (thermal gigawatts)

•Solar rooftop water and space heaters

•Geothermal

•Biomass – Ethanol, Biodiesel, Methane, Combustion

Note – Hydrogen is not a renewable energy; it is a storage medium

Key Renewable Energy Transportation Strategy:

Plug in hybrids!!!!

KEY THRUST

Change the buildings and transportation and manufacturing environments’ operational/policy

norms toward sustainable policies and practices.

Where? In the personal, business and governmental spheres.

Your Home - Facilities, Purchasing and Operations

Residential – What you can do!!!• Environmentally and socially responsible purchasing –

www.coopamerica.org, www.newdream.org• Environmentally and socially responsible investments

– www.socialinvest.org • Caulk and weatherstrip• Parasitic power – unplug the TV, computer, etc. when

not in use!• Fill the freezer. Clean the coils• Carpool or use bikes and buses• Turn down the tank to 120 and use water conserving

showerheads.

Your Home - Facilities, Purchasing and Operations

Residential – What you can do!!!

• Permaculture instead of grass

• Eat lower and local on the food chain

• Buy renewable energy locally and offsets (www.nativeenergy.org)

• Be an “energy waste detective”

• Reduce, reuse and recycle

SAVE MONEY

United Way Case Studies:

32% Energy savings• Lighting Retrofits

• Weatherizing• Insulation

Solutions:

• All of us engaged as effective change agents in our sustainability challenges

• From apathy caring involvement.

• Know that our daily decisions affect the quality of life of people around the globe.

• Culture of sustainability – MTV’s Breaking the Addiction to Oil

• Push for appropriate policies

Skills:

1) Teach/learn sustainable development literacy

2) Teach/learn optimism skills (Seligman)

3) Teach/learn efficacy; tell stories of “normal” people making a difference

4) Teach/learn interpersonal and intrapersonal intelligences – e.g. civil discourse, conflict resolution, emotional intelligence

5) Teach/learn systems thinking, futurist skills and change agent skills

The community as a living lab for sustainability oriented practices and

skill building.

Provides the models and opportunities for practicing the changing of behaviors

Building values, behaviors, and identities

A community of learners. A community of real life problem solvers.

What is “Green Design’?

Design and construction practices that significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact of buildings on the environment and occupants in five broad areas:

1.Sustainable site planning 2.Safeguarding water and water efficiency3.Energy efficiency and renewable energy4.Conservation of materials and resources5.Indoor environmental quality.

Why use green design?

• Save Money

• Improve Health

• Reduce Climate Change

• Reduce Financial Risk

• Community Benefits

5.1 7.0

8.8

12.114.1

14.9

16.0

1960 1970 1980 1990 2001 2006 2014

Year

US Health Care Expenditures as Percent of GDP Projections

Heffler et al. U.S. Health Spending Projections for 2004-2014. Health Tracking, February 23,

2005

“Unknowingly, the architecture and building community is responsible for almost half of all U.S. greenhouse gas emissions annually. Globally the percentage is even greater.”U.S. Energy Consumption by Sector

Source:U.S. Energy Information Administration statistics

U.S. Green Building Council – www.usgbc.org

LEED provides a roadmap for every building type. Specific programs include:

• New commercial and residential construction and major renovation projects

• Existing building operations and maintenance • Commercial interiors projects • Core and shell development projects • Neighborhood development

Green Design Does Not Have to Cost More

• Studies verify this

• Can be positive cash flow from the first month

• Use experienced professionals

• For a free publication on how to go green for no more money, http://www.ieice.com/portfolio/green_building/book/book.html

Benefits of Green Building

• Environmental Benefits• Reduce the impacts of natural resource consumption

Economic Benefits• Improve the bottom line

• Health and Safety Benefits • Enhance occupant comfort and health

Community Benefits Minimize strain on local infrastructures and improve

quality of life• Fulfills a professional responsibility

• It’s the new norm

Some of the previous green design slides are from

Celeste Allen Novak, AIA, LEED AP

celestenov@aol.com

En\Compass Architecture

Some of the sustainability slides are from

Tony Cortese, President, Second Nature

www.secondnature.org

What You Can Do – Political Activities are Crucial!!!

Local Level1. Take it to your community – do a community

sustainability plan/ energy audit. Get them to sign on to the Climate Protection Agreement (signed by over 600 mayors.)

Federal LevelTake it to your U.S. Senators and Representatives: 1. Undo the uneven subsidies – Get the Wind Production

Tax credit and the Solar Investment Tax Credit passed2. Pass a carbon tax (Tax pollution instead of income.) or

a Cap and Trade system with AUCTIONED CREDITSFor more info, visit the Union of Concerned Scientists and

the American Wind Energy AssociationHESA and DURBIN – an opportunity!!!!

What is needed? Solutions:

Civic engagement – people asking for it

Political will – legislators doing it

Civic engagement – people making sure it happens

What is needed? Solutions:

Ask to end the imbalance of subsidies.

Account for the full cost.

Create proper incentives.

Pass the wind production tax credits

Pass the solar investment tax credits

Decrease the fossil fuel subsidies

Part III

National Trends and Resources

U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development:

Convene, Catalyze and Communicate

Sector Teams: Business, Higher Education, K-12, Communities, Faith, Youth…

Business principles of sustainability:

– Cradle to Cradle (McDonough)– Biomimicry (Benyas – Like nature, efficient

and not toxic)– World Business Council for Sustainable

Development (www.wbcsd.org)– Natural Step (Sweden and U.S.)– Natural Capitalism (Lovins, Harvard

Business Review)– Ethical Markets – Hazel Henderson

Trends in sectors – some examples

• Business - LOHAS, SOL Sustainability Consortium, CERES, Businesses for Social Responsibility, Shareholders, Investors (e.g. Goldman Sachs and Swiss RE)

• Communities - Mayors Climate Protection and Smart Growth, Grand Rapids model

• K-12 – Nat. Assoc. of Independent Schools, U.S. Partnership resources

• Faith - National Religious Partnership and Interfaith Alliance, Regeneration Project

• Youth – Climate Challenge, Reduce Your Impact, Action Campaigns…

Higher education is beginning to take a leadership role to prepare students and provide the information and knowledge to achieve a sustainable society?

What does it look like?

For higher education, Sustainable Development is being integrated

into:

Curricula Research

Operations

CommunityOutreach andPartnerships

Student Life Professional Development

Mission andPlanning Purchasing

plus legislation and public awareness

Sustainable Living Practices – Higher Ed Leading the Way

• Presidential Taskforce on Sustainability – ACPA

http://www.myacpa.org/task-force/sustainability/ , including:

overview,

learning outcomes,

residential sustainable living campaigns

first year experience,

orientation,

film series and sustainability media festivals,

examples and templates for members…

HE Sustainability Examplesmore at www.aashe.org Annual Digest

• Systemic integration• University of Florida• Georgia Tech• University of North Carolina• University of British Columbia• Arizona State• Lane Community College

• Transportation• UC Boulder• Cornell

• Energy & Climate Change• SUNY Buffalo• University of California System• Western Washington University• University of Minnesota

HE Sustainability Examplesmore at www.aashe.org Annual Digest

• Curriculum• Northern Arizona University• University of Georgia – Article in ACE Presidency W ‘06• Comm. Colleges – Article at AACC site/sustainable

• Food• University of Montana• UC Santa Cruz

• Green Building• University of Washington• South Carolina universities

Making sustainability an integral part of

planning, operations, facility design, purchasing, investments, and curricula.

Association for the Advancement of

Sustainability in Higher Education

AASHE(AY-shee)

www.aashe.org

GREAT NEWS!!!Growing National Trend:

Seventeen national HE associations and twenty national disciplinary

associations are creating initiatives on Education for

Sustainable Development

Engaged National Associations

1. ACE–Am. Council on Ed.–Presidency Magazine W’06

2. AACU – Ass. of American Colleges and Universities

3. AACC – Am. Ass. of Community Colleges

4. AASCU – State Institutions 5. ACUHO – Housing 6. NACAS – Aux. Officers7. NAEP – Educational

Buyers8. NACA – Campus Activities

9. APPA – Facilities 10. NACUBO – Business 11. SCUP – College and

University Planners12. ACUI – Student Unions13. ACPA – Student Life14. NACUFS – Food15. ACEED-I – Events and

Conference Directors16. NACS – Campus Stores17. NIRSA – Recreation18. AGB – Ass. of Governing

Boards AND MORE

Higher Education Associations Sustainability Consortium

www.heasc.net

Higher Education Associations

• Collaboration with national higher education associations on:• Rating system - STARS• Socially and environmentally responsible procurement• President’s pledge on climate change• Sports and Sustainbility• Team building on campus at VP and other levels for

sustainability• Learning Outcomes in sustainability for all graduates • Professional development for all

Over 20 National Discipline Associations have become engaged!

• Political Science, Math, Religion, Philosophy, Sociology, Chemistry, Biology, Engineering, Geography, Anthropology, Communications, Psychology, Architecture…

• Academic learning combined with real life problem solving for sustainability in all disciplines and as degree core

• www.aashe.org/dans

More National Organizations to assist you:

• Second Nature – www.secondnature.org• Grey Pinstripes for business schools through the

World Resources Institute - http://projects.wri.org/project_description.cfm?ProjectID=18

• U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development – www.uspartnership.org

U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development

• Non-partisan

• Multiple Sector Teams: Business, Higher Ed., K-12, Youth, Faith…

• Convene, Catalyze, Communicate

www.uspartnership.org

www.uspartnership.orgJoin for free

Participate in a sector or action team

What you can do!

• Save energy and reduce pollution and save money.• Build or buy renewable energies systems • Take it to work and where you buy and invest• Take it to your places of worship • Take it to your local and national politicians –

CRUCIAL• Take it to your local schools and colleges

Possibilities for Next StepsCommit to:

Help create economic policies that support stronger economies via the building of healthier ecosystems and social systems

Utilize the media to publicize the positive steps all can take to both teach and model sustainable development.

If you feel overwhelmed or unsure, don’t give up!!

There are people you can talk to about how to create success.

Part IV

• Resources

Resources

1. Electronic Environmental Resource Library – www.eerl.org Put in “energy” in the search box

2. Alliance to Save Energy – http://www.ase.org/

3. Building solar air panels – www.oaklandcc.edu/EST

4. American Solar Energy Society – www.ases.org

5. American Wind Energy Association – www.awea.org

Additional Resources

1. Greener Buildings News at www.greenbiz.com

2. Energy Star – U.S. Dept of Energy http://www.energystar.gov

3. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energies – http://www.eere.energy.gov/

4. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - http://www.ipcc.ch/

5. Natural Capitalism by Lovins

6. National Renewable Energy Labs – www.nrel.gov

Careers in Energy and Sustainability

• AASHE – www.aashe.org• Green jobs on Monster -

www.monstertrak.monster.com/greencareers_guide/index.html • Association of Energy Engineers – www.aeecenter.org• http://www.sustainablebusiness.com and click on "Green Dream Jobs“• http://www.homepower.com/resources/jobs.cfm • http://www.greenbiz.com and click on "Job Link“• http://www.EnvironmentalCareer.com • http://www.idealist.org • www.ecojobs.com• www.eco.org• www.greenjobs.com• Renewable Energy Access Jobs

www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/jobs/home• For volunteer opportunities in renewable energies for those in need,

www.gridalternatives.org

Challenges and Answers

Challenges• Already busy – outside of my job description• Don’t know this stuff• Putting out fires, don’t have time to do the right thing• Issues complex and systemic• Societal & environmental impacts invisible and ignoredAnswers• Don’t have to know the answers. Just keep asking the

sustainability questions. Don’t try to get it perfect.• Use national resources and learn from others to help you

learn, grow and implement• Step outside your normal job description

Conclusions

1. The U.S. public is not educated enough about the energy and sustainability issues before us.

2. We need energy and sustainability literacy for ALL.3. We need to use sustainable design for new and existing

construction, operations, consumption and purchasing. 4. You are creating the future with your daily decisions. 5. Successful precedents/materials can assist you in the

sustainability path you choose as a private person, as an employee, and as a community member.

6. Climate change is the highest priority with the shortest time line.

7. We can change consumption, investment and civic behaviors to create appropriate market modifications for sustainability.

Reduce Climate Change

The Power of What You Do

• We are leaders in the world• We can choose a sustainable

future

Congratulations for all you have done.

Congratulations for all you will do in the future.

Let your enthusiasm show!For more information, contact Debra Rowe at

dgrowe@oaklandcc.edu